The Calm Before The Storm
by A True Dreamer
Summary: This changed so much... and yet it truly changed nothing, not for her anyway. -Picking up where season three ended. What happens next? NOT TO BE COMPLETED
1. Anticlimactic

The Calm Before The Storm.

AN: Another middle of the morning fan fiction. I will edit this again sometime tomorrow. Sorry in advance for the errors you're sure to find.

Enjoy, Review.

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Chapter One – Anticlimactic

Kyle hadn't known what to do. How were you supposed to handle finding out something so life altering? He had searched so hard to find one sign that Cassidy had been lying. A shift in heart beat, a breaking of eye contact, anything to erase what this new information meant, and the things that it changed.

He knew he had been so close to hurting that man, to preventing him from hurting the people he loved. He didn't regret feeling the need to protect his loved ones, but he was relieved that he hadn't had to go that far. That new information although scary in itself had been what he'd need to clear his mind, to think more rationally.

He hadn't killed Cassidy.

Instead he knocked him out and tied him up. He knew that his family and the people who loved him wouldn't have been happy if he'd killed Cassidy. Even if it meant they were no longer in danger from him. He was able to realize there was only one reasonable thing to do in this situation.

He'd called Foss, who had shown up immediately. It had happened so quickly he was still wrapping his mind around it. Foss had taken Cassidy and Kyle now waited for his family to come home. He knew what he had to do and it was going to be difficult but the hardest things always were.

Minutes passed with an agonizing slowness. They could have been hours for as long as they seemed to drag on. He was sitting on the living room couch lost in thought, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Cassidy could be his brother. That the horrible man who'd killed Jessi's mother, threatened his family could have the same genes running through him. It wasn't comforting.

Kyle was so trapped in his own mind that he didn't notice Jessi until she was standing in front of him. Looking up into her eyes he felt almost all the anxiety he was feeling melt away. He quickly stood and pulled her into his arms, needing to be close to her, to allow her to calm him for once.

It worked, the minute they touched a calm spread through him. He turned his head into her hair smiling at the scent of her shampoo, his arms tightening their hold on her. He waited for her to react in kind, to tighten her hold on him as well but she loosened hers.

He pulled back suddenly to look into her eyes to see what was wrong. Did she no longer want him? Was he stepping over a line he wasn't aware of? Did she know? All of these questions ran through his mind before he saw her glance to her right at the front door. He turned his head that direction too.

* * *

Amanda had thought when she told Jessi that she was going to tell Kyle that she wanted him back, that she wouldn't actually have anything to worry about. Of course Kyle would pick her, he loved her, and now she had an idea of what his secret was. Now they could just be honest and everything would go back to how it had been before.

Telling Jessi was just an olive branch on her way back into Kyle's life.

How wrong she'd been.

_Amanda glanced over at Jessi as she drove them back. It wasn't exactly an awkward silence but she was curious as to what Jessi was thinking. She'd been very quiet since reading that file regarding the origins of 781227. Amanda hadn't read what was in the file, deciding she was going to ask Kyle what it said after he had looked at it himself. _

_They pulled up in front of the Trager home and immediately knew something wasn't right, all of the lights were off. They both jumped out of the car, Jessi was already walking through the door when Amanda reached the sidewalk, she ran up the walk way and followed through the door. She heard Jessi say Kyle's name and looked over to see him sitting on the couch. _

_He looked so lost, it was unsettling to see, but what he did next was harder. He stood and pulled Jessi into his arms. Holding her so tightly it was as if he were conveying in that one moment that he couldn't survive without her. Amanda watched as the crease in his brow evened out and a smile spread over his face in contentment. _

_She couldn't breathe, the image branding itself into her head. She wanted to turn and walk away but she was frozen in place. Forced to watch the fear spread across his face when Jessi pulled away from him, to see him only just now notice her presence as an after thought. She opened her mouth to speak. _

"_Kyle! What happened? Why didn't you show up at the Rack? We were so worried!" Amanda turned to see Nicole rushing through the door followed by the rest of the Trager family. Someone flipped the switch and the scene that was now running through Amanda mind was put on pause so explanations could be given. _

_Kyle sat back down on the couch preparing to explain. Jessi sat down next to him and everyone moved closer encouraging him to tell the story. She stood back a little not sure if she should stay for this, but not willing to leave on her own. _

_She listened as Kyle told the family that he came home from the warehouse to find the house completely empty. How he had been scared something had happened to them. When he said this, his hand grabbed Jessi's in a subconscious gesture as though still unsure she was safe._

_He continued on in his story, explaining that he and Cassidy had fought. He paused glancing at Nicole before explaining that he had Cassidy's throat in his hands and was choking him, when Cassidy told him that Grace Kingsley was his mother too. This time Amanda watched as his gaze flicker to Jessi's a fear hidden in them. Jessi only tightened her grip on Kyle's hand and that seemed to reassure him. _

_Amanda listened quietly as Kyle explained the rest of what happened and as Jessi explained where the two of them had been. It was strange watching Kyle with Jessi, so much had changed. Before, he wouldn't have sat that close to Jessi when she was in the room. _

_Before… she was realizing he hadn't had feelings for Jessi, or at least he hadn't taken time to realize them. She had done this, pushed them together when she pushed him away. _

_As the stories wrapped up, she heard Kyle explain that Foss was going to stop by in the morning to go over a plan of what was next. He suggested they all get some sleep. Nicole nodded saying that would probably be for the best. She hugged both Kyle and Jessi before turning to herd the rest of the family out of the room; she gave Amanda a smile as she walked past. _

_She watched both Kyle and Jessi rise from the couch hands still entangled. Jessi turned and whispered something before extracting her hands from his and leaving them alone. She gave Amanda a small nod on her way to the back of the house. _

"_Amanda…" _

Finding out the truth about Kyle had felt a little anticlimactic after the night she'd had, but she had been glad to know the truth. He had told her the short story, explaining that it was too late to get into a detailed conversation. He told her goodnight and walked her to the door before she could even think about bringing up a conversation about them.

Not that it would have been the right time.

* * *

Jessi had forced herself not to listen in on what ever Kyle and Amanda were talking about. Instead opting to focus on changing for bed, and thinking about the night they'd just had. She couldn't believe that Cassidy was Kyle's brother. It changed so much, and she realized with a small smile to herself it changed nothing. She still loved Kyle, even more so now when realizing he could have been like Cassidy but wasn't.

She heard Kyle close the front door, and walk down the hall to his room. She laid down when she heard him close his door behind him.

Sleeping seemed like an impossible idea after everything. She really wanted to be near Kyle, to be holding his hand again. She smiled at the new memories she'd gained tonight. Of Kyle holding her, and needing her to calm him, to help him clear his thoughts. It was so different being the giver, and she realized it was so much more fulfilling.

Jessi rolled over to force herself into a slumber when her door opened and Kyle walked in. He closed the door behind him, and stood there looking at her a small frown on his face.

"I can't sleep so far away from you…" Kyle said hesitantly, "at least not tonight." He looked at her and she realized he wasn't sure if she would let him stay.

Jessi smiled and moved over making room for him to climb in with her. She pulled the comforter up around the both of them. She was laying on her left side looking at him and he was mimicking her looking at her almost as though it were the first time he was seeing her.

There was an electrical current in the air between them and she wanted to scoot closer to him, but she wasn't sure what he wanted right now. She decided to focus on making sure Kyle got what he needed not on what she wanted. 'Be the giver,' she thought to herself.

"Can… Can I hold you?" Jessi looked at him wondering if he had actually said that, or if she was projecting.

"What?" Jessi asked unsure.

"I feel like your so far away still, can I hold you?" Kyle explained, "Unless you don't want-"

Jessi cut Kyle off, scooting closer to him. He wrapped his left arm around her holding her tightly against him. Jessi smiled to herself and felt a calm spread over the both of them.

Things were changing all around them, and the morning would bring so many new questions and situations, but this moment right now. The two of them and their calm was all the mattered, as long as they had this to fall back on they could make it through the rest.

Chp1/End.

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AN: I will honestly admit that as of this moment I have only a vague idea of where this story is going. I just was finally hit with a writing bug again. I needed to do something… so here it is… I'm doing the whole "what next" season four-ish type story.

Plus that ending feels so rushed and "BLAH" but I'm sleepy and really just want to put this up to see if its even worth fixing…

Please review let me know if I should bother continuing or if I should just let this be a oneshot until I come up with something more original.


	2. Distance

The Calm Before The Storm

AN: You guys and your reviews are really amazing! I always feel confident as I'm writing, and then when I read it over after I worry that I'm seeing one thing and you all are going to be reading another, and then I get your reviews and I realize maybe I actually do know how to write!

Anyway, here's the next chapter…

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Chapter Two – Distance

It was the second time he'd slept in a bed with her, and he was beyond relieved when he found she was still there when he opened his eyes. Still wrapped tightly in his arms, her head now resting on his chest, he held her a little closer.

So many things had changed last night. He had feared she wouldn't be able to trust him anymore. He worried that having a relation to that monster would make her leave him.

It seemed though, that those fears were unfounded. Jessi was so much stronger than he gave her credit for. He was so thankful she was. There was no way he could get through what came next without her.

Yesterday had been such a long day, and he knew he needed to take a moment to go through what it all meant to him. He had truly believed, like Jessi, that once they destroyed the formula things would be able to find some new form of normal.

_That_ was a distant thought now.

Foss had told him last night that he felt it would be best for Kyle and Jessi to disappear for a while. To 'fall off the grid' as he'd put it. Foss had been worried that neither of them would be safe after Adam had passed away, and Cassidy's actions were the proof he needed to convince Kyle to leave.

Foss had found them a place deep in the woods, much like the cabin where Baylin had recovered. It was far enough away that no one would think to look for them there, but close enough that they could get back here if there was an emergency. Foss had said he would come up to train them once he was sure that Latnok was following the fake trail showing the two of them heading south. In the mean time it was just going to be him and Jessi, and maybe that was the way it was meant to be.

Kyle looked down at Jessi, so beautiful and unguarded in her sleep. He wondered if it was fair for him to be with her like this. He knew he cared about her, but his feelings for Amanda were still unresolved.

It was hard to believe that just yesterday he'd been unsure of who he wanted, when right now in this moment it couldn't be more clear. Jessi was the one he'd needed last night, Jessi was the one he needed right now.

He could put distance between himself and the Trager's, he'd done it before.

He could put distance between himself and Amanda, the distance was already in place now.

But distance between himself and Jessi? That sounded like an impossible feat. In fact he couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that he'd been planning to let her leave before. How had he been able to accept that?

Kyle didn't know what exactly the future held. Where they would be a month from now, a year from now, but if one thing could be predicted it was that Jessi would be apart of that future.

* * *

Lori woke up when her phone went off, ringing a little too loudly for this early in the morning. She searched for the object that was projecting the noise, keeping her eye closed as did savoring the last few moments of sleep. When finally she opened her eyes to see who it was, she saw Declan's name glowing back at her. She quick woke up, and hit talk.

"Declan, did you get my message?" she asked quickly, keeping her voice low.

She had called him last night to tell him about what had gone down, and to let him know maybe he should come over for the meeting with Foss. She knew that it would be important to him to be there for Kyle. Also, she kind of needed him to be there for her too. It helped having someone who knew all the Trager secrets, around to talk to.

"Yeah, I just got it; do you know what time he's going to show up?" Lori glanced over at the clock; it was 5:30 AM. She actually didn't know, but she had a feeling it was going to be an early meeting.

"You might want to come on over now. I get the feeling Foss is an early-bird-catches-worm kind of guy." She rolled out of bed, knowing she should probably start getting ready.

"Actually Trager, I'm already here. Mind opening the door?" She paused, waiting to see if he was joking.

"You're here? As in down stairs standing at my front door, all stalker like first thing in the morning?" She walked out of her room and down the stair as she said this, and sure enough there he was. She opened the door, shaking her head.

"Morning, Trager" he said, smiling one of his Declan smiles at her. She just laughed and let him in.

"I'm going to go get dressed, I don't think anyone else is up, but feel free to check and see if Kyle is." She said and then turned to head back up stairs.

"Don't mind if I do" he said and she watched him head back toward Kyle's room.

* * *

"_Declan, I can't believe you didn't answer your phone! Whatever this is Lori, of course you probably already know that. Anyway, I'm calling because I thought you should know what something major went down last night with Kyle and Cassidy, turns out they are like brothers, or at least they have the same mom. It crazy, but Kyle said Foss was coming by in the morning, I figured you might want to be there. Hope you get this in time. Bye" _

Declan was glad that he planned and early work out, or he might not have gotten Lori's message. He'd stupidly left his phone in his car the night before. As soon as the words '_something major went down'_ had come out of her mouth he'd started driving to Kyle's house. Playing the message over one more time, as he sped down the road, thankful there weren't many people out this early.

When he'd pulled up to the Trager house, he'd immediately called Lori when it looked like no one was up. They went through their usual banter, as he waited for her to come open the door. She suggested he go see if Kyle was up, and that sounded like a good idea. He needed to hear the story from Kyle in all the details he might or might not have shared with the family.

He opened the door to Kyle's room and didn't see him in his tub. Instead of panicking, because it was unlikely the Latnok was able to sneak in and take Kyle without anyone noticing. He glanced across the hallway, guessing he must be in Jessi's room.

He peeked his head through the door, and saw Kyle and Jessi lying in each others arms. If it weren't Kyle who he knew wouldn't cross that line, at least not with Nicole and Stephen one story away. His mind would have jumped to a million conclusions. Instead he opened the door wider, catching Kyle's attention.

"Hey man" he said when Kyle looked over at him. He nodded his head in the direction of Kyle's room, signaling that they needed to talk.

He closed the door behind him, and walked back across the hall seating himself at Kyle's desk. It was a minute later that Kyle came in shutting the door behind him.

"I'm glad you're here, I was going to call you this morning, and I just hadn't gotten around to it." Kyle said as he leaning against the edge of his tub.

"Well Trager beat you to it, want to tell me what's going on?" Declan asked, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knee's as Kyle went into the story. Going all the way back to what they had done yesterday with the formula. Declan didn't interrupt he just waited listening as Kyle went through all the details.

Things like Mark helping him out, to the electromagnetic shock that Cassidy had used against him, to Amanda showing up with Jessi, and him telling her everything. Then he told him about the cabin Foss was planning on sending Jessi and him to, and that he hoped Foss would count on Declan for help with everything that was to come.

When Kyle finished, Declan leaned back and sighed to himself. "Man, things are never simple around here are they?" He watched Kyle's face and knew that he was going to start stressing if they didn't start talking about something lighter.

"So, Amanda knows everything huh?" He said glancing at Kyle and then added, "But, I guess you've already made a choice then?" He watched Kyle glance toward the door, and it seemed that he had his answer.

"I can't hear her anymore." Kyle stated, looking back at Declan. "I mean, I could listen and hear her heart if I wanted to, but it's not in the forefront of my mind anymore. I didn't even notice she was in the room last night until Jessi pointed it out." Kyle glanced down at his hands. "I thought that once I was able to tell Amanda the truth… that once she knew it would mean we would fit back together, but it didn't work that way."

Declan walked over to Kyle, placing his hand on his shoulder before leaning against the tub next to him. "So you don't fit with Amanda, does that mean you fit with Jessi?" he looked over at Kyle waiting.

Kyle thought about it for a moment, wanting to make sure he knew what he felt before he said anything. When he looked over at Declan he smiled, "Yeah, I think it really does."

"Wow, so you're heading off to a secluded cabin with a girl who's completely into you, who you've decided your now into too?" He paused before adding, "Sound like your in for a good time!" and then laughed, when he saw Kyle's face change to one of worry.

"I hadn't thought about that… do you think-"

Kyle didn't get to finish that thought, because Josh opened the door and said that breakfast was ready. Although he didn't see how anyone was going to be able to eat.

* * *

Waking up to Kyle was something Jessi could get used to. The last time she'd woken up first and had been too preoccupied with finding out about her mom to really enjoy the fact that they'd 'slept' together. Kyle never slept in a bed, the first time had been because he'd known she'd needed him, but this time he'd come because he needed her.

So apart of her had thought that she'd wake up like he had last time. Alone.

That was why it was so great when Kyle had whispered her name as he gently rocked her out of sleep. Explaining that it was time they got up and got ready. Then he'd snuck out of her room being sure that no one else in the family saw him doing so.

She'd been content to just lay there in the lingering warmth that proved Kyle had slept here. After the warmth faded she knew she needed to get serious about what they were going to be doing today. Foss would be here soon, and she knew she needed to be up and ready. She quickly made her bed and then grabbing a towel headed up the stairs to the bathroom.

Half and hour later, the whole family, plus Declan were standing around the kitchen trying to eat the food Nicole had prepared. She glanced at Kyle who seemed to be lost in thought. He'd awkwardly smiled at her when she'd entered the room, and it made her wonder if he was worrying about what last night had meant.

She bit into her toast, and frowned accepting to herself right then and there, that he still didn't know Amanda wanted him back. Last night had been the work of extreme circumstances and she knew it would serve her better in the long run not to read into it too much. Instead she wondered what Foss had done with Cassidy, hoping it had been a worthy punishment.

She didn't get to think too much about it though, when she was pulled out of her thoughts by a knock at the front door. She and everyone else froze in anticipation. Stephen went to answer, returning not with Foss, but with Amanda.

Jessi's eyes darted to Kyle, whose eyes went from Amanda, to Jessi, to Declan and then back to Jessi. No one said anything right away. It was Nicole who broke the ice, asking Amanda if she'd already had something to eat.

Amanda smiled and Nicole and said that she had. Then she turned to Kyle and asked if they could talk? Jessi watched him hesitate before standing and leading her down the hall to his room. Jessi drank some of her orange juice, begging herself not to listen in, knowing that hearing it that way would hurt more.

She could feel everyone's eyes on her, and was about to ask them to stop when Amanda sped by not saying anything to anyone as she left out the front door.

'That was quick,' Jessi thought, but kept her self from hoping this was good news for her. Especially when Kyle stepped back into the room and, he wouldn't even look at her. Was he trying to tell her something, give her some clue with his distance?

Again her thoughts were cut short, this time by an ominous ringing of the doorbell. They all glanced at each other and stood knowing that Foss was here, and it was time to get to work with whatever his plan was.

Chp2/End.

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AN: I know a lot of you said you like this… but between reading those reviews which inspired me to write more, and finishing this chapter. I have to wonder if maybe you're all crazy! lol :]] I'm really just writing as I go with this… meaning I have no clue what's coming next… or how this is supposed to end. So please bare with me… and hopefully your reviews will be enough inspiration to figure it out. :]]


	3. Finite

The Calm Before The Storm

AN: Okay so this is my way of letting you know that this story is done, dead, finite.

I am 99% positive that I won't write another chapter, and that unfortunately none of us will find out what happens next. Not even me... because I don't even know and don't even have anything to tell you now...

I apologize but I do hope you'll check out my other Kessi chapter story. It's called Obligations and it's something I hope you'll all enjoy in spite of my not finishing this story.

Let me also say I'm sorry because I know the disappointment in getting a story alert that isn't actually a chapter. SORRY!

Well this is the end of this story, but not the end of my writing. :]]

End!


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